Knightley Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 well thing is that most of us have come across people like Amy, its not her personally, its just that some feel the need to evangelize when we've already made up our minds about xianity. I can't deny that we never get upset, get into our own little dramas, and all that, it does happen, but not as often as I have seen it happen on xian forums. This is a pretty cool forum, stay, look around, we have serious convos and we get silly too and for a 17 year old girl, you are very smart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think it's great that you're thinking so critically at the age of 17, E. There are many of us here who just swallowed whatever we were told at that age and never actually examined the evidence. Hansolo, myself, and many others here spent half a lifetime (or more) getting free of this nonsense called christianity. Welcome to ex-c. Maybe you can convince some of us hardcore skeptics that there's something to reincarnation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest etoileterre Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I think it's great that you're thinking so critically at the age of 17, E. for a 17 year old girl, you are very smart. Even though someone thought I was 15... There are many of us here who just swallowed whatever we were told at that age and never actually examined the evidence. Hansolo, myself, and many others here spent half a lifetime (or more) getting free of this nonsense called christianity. I'm fortunate to have grown up in a more liberal household than some. My parents never taught me that non-Christians go to hell, and they're letting me research all I want. I know they hate it, but at least they're trying to be tolerant and I'm not being stifled. Welcome to ex-c. Maybe you can convince some of us hardcore skeptics that there's something to reincarnation. You know, I don't view it as a spiritual thing. It just seems natural to me. I don't claim that any god or doctrine "enlightened" me about it. I've believed in it since I was about seven, even when I was told there was a Heaven, and that good people go there when they die. (It's funny that even though I wasn't raised with the concept of hell - that I didn't discover the belief that non-Christians go there until I was 14 - that I still have this nagging feeling sometimes.) It seemed only natural, like breathing, that upon being born you already recognized your surroundings. I mean, if there's no Heaven or hell, what else could there be? Blackness? (That in itself could be hell...) Maybe it's also the feeling that I've been here before. I dunno. Take that as you will. XD And thanks for the welcome! Blessed be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its_just_me Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Welcome Etoileterre I mean, if there's no Heaven or hell, what else could there be? Blackness? (That in itself could be hell...) Have you ever had surgery where you were put out? It's basically sheer 'nothingness'...you don't feel a thing....you don't remember a thing....it's not hell; it's not heaven...it's just nothing....it's as though the time you were out never existed.....that is something I often think of as being a possibility, and one that I think a lot of atheists here would agree with. If anesthesia can do that to our consciousness on a physical level, then it is quite possible that that is all there is. However, I'd like to think there is more to it than that....in a way my beliefs are a lot like the beliefs of mainstream archaeologists in relation to the existance of Atlantis -- skeptical, yet hopeful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misterspock1 Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I denounced Christianity three years ago and began studying paganism last year. It made so much more sense and even supported reincarnation, which I had believed in since a very young age. Why, then, do I sometimes catch myself fearing damnation? I feel that reincarnation is right. It makes sense. As far as I can tell, no Christian actually feels that Hell exists - the only "proof" they offer is the Bible. You can't fear what you don't believe in, right? And I don't believe in Hell. What's even stranger is that I was never raised to believe that non-Christians go to hell. I didn't even know that other people believed that until I was fourteen. My fear is irrational, then. I guess it comes with being in my new faith longer than my old one, which won't be for another fourteen years. Old habits die hard. This is frustrating. How am I supposed to grow and become confident? You know, though, I sometimes feel odd whenever I see a cross, like I'm being "told" something, but then I realize that I'm not associating the symbol with what it actually means: I'm associating it with the Bible pushers and the hate that they encourage. I love my new faith. I'm closer to Deity than I ever was as a Christian. Why, then, does Hell still haunt me? You're not alone. I still fear I will go to Hell when I die, and it scares me to death. If what my parents believe is true, then I will suffer for eternity. I think that is probably the hardest part to let go of, just because it is instilled in Christians so deeply. But that is the reason why Christianity has been so successful. They can use fear to play on the emotions and manipulate people into believing their religion. They can use fear to pull at the heartstrings of a de-converted Christian, telling them to listen to that fear and come back to the faith. I think you just have to give it some time. That is what I am trying to do, hoping that eventually my Hell-ophobia will diminish, just like any other irrational fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardAbbey Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 I denounced Christianity three years ago and began studying paganism last year. It made so much more sense and even supported reincarnation, which I had believed in since a very young age. Why, then, do I sometimes catch myself fearing damnation? I feel that reincarnation is right. It makes sense. As far as I can tell, no Christian actually feels that Hell exists - the only "proof" they offer is the Bible. You can't fear what you don't believe in, right? And I don't believe in Hell. What's even stranger is that I was never raised to believe that non-Christians go to hell. I didn't even know that other people believed that until I was fourteen. My fear is irrational, then. I guess it comes with being in my new faith longer than my old one, which won't be for another fourteen years. Old habits die hard. This is frustrating. How am I supposed to grow and become confident? You know, though, I sometimes feel odd whenever I see a cross, like I'm being "told" something, but then I realize that I'm not associating the symbol with what it actually means: I'm associating it with the Bible pushers and the hate that they encourage. I love my new faith. I'm closer to Deity than I ever was as a Christian. Why, then, does Hell still haunt me? I can certainly relate to your fear in hell. When I was a fundamentalist believer for nearly 20 years I believed it was a literal place of never ending torment. But as I was going through doubt and skepticism, and questioning my fundamentalist beliefs, I read some essays on the subject that logically and objectively refuted such a doctrine. I think eventually you will outgrow your fear of hell and see it for the fallacy it really is. It is nothing more than a sadistic and bargaric concept born out of superstitious human imagination for the purpose of controlling the human mind to submit to a belief system for the purpose of religious indoctrination. You might want to read some of Robert Ingersoll's writings. It will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. I like this one of his on superstiton: http://www.infidels.org/library/historical...perstition.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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